In Our Interests sets out a vision for the future British economy outside the EU in which growth and fairness are boosted through a purposeful and values-driven alternative to a Singapore-style low tax, low regulation regime which has been mooted by some in the Government.

Topics covered include employee ownership, profit sharing, co-operative development, the gig economy, consumer rights, tackling tax avoidance and reforming corporate governance.

The pamphlet includes contributions from, among others, Labour’s Deputy Leader Tom Watson MP, think tank chief Marc Stears, Co-operative Group CEO Richard Pennycook, and tax campaigner Richard Murphy. It is to be published at an event in Central London at which Labour & Co-operative MPs, business leaders, academics, trade unionists and think tanks will discuss and debate the proposition at the heart of the pamphlet. 

The Conference will hear keynote speeches from Trade Union Congress (TUC) General Secretary Frances O’Grady and Labour Deputy Leader Tom Watson MP, along with contributions from shadow ministers, academics, campaigners and figures in the UK co-operative movement.

Welcoming the book, the Co-operative Party’s Chair, Gareth Thomas MP commented:

“The essay collection we have brought together lays bare the inequality, unfairness, missed opportunities and rapid pace of change which typify the British economy in 2017. 

“The Co-operative Party is clear that co-operative values can provide the foundations of the new consensus this country so desperately needs. They provide the template for an economy that delivers rewards more fairly; successfully seizes new opportunities and effectively supports our people through the inevitable changes ahead.”

Writing in her foreword, Co-operative Party General Secretary Claire McCarthy said:

“Rebuilding our sense of national unity will require a revolution in who owns and in whose interests the British economy is run.

“The good news is that we don’t have to imagine an alternative – it’s already out there. Hundreds of thousands of co-operatives, with billions of pounds of assets, are showing that there is a better way of doing things. The essays in this collection draw inspiration from that movement to provide a radical vision for the future.”

 [ENDS]

 For more information: Ben West, Communications Officer 07915978681

 Notes for Editors

1. The Co-operative Party Economy Conference – ‘In Our Interests’ will take place at Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre, on London’s South Bank on 28th January.  An agenda for the day can be found at (https://party.coop/wp-content/blogs.dir/5/files/2017/01/econ-conference-programme-final-web.pdf)
2. The ‘In Our Interests’ essay collection can be downloaded (PDF) from the Co-operative Party website:
   (https://party.coop/wp-content/blogs.dir/5/files/2017/01/in-our-interests-compressed-web.pdf )
3. The Co-operative Party is the political arm of the co-operative movement and has had an electoral agreement with the Labour Party since 1927. There are 27 Labour & Co-operative MPs in Westminster, more than 500 Labour & Co-operative local councillors, as well as elected representatives in Holyrood, Cardiff and the London Assembly. (https://party.coop )
4. Full list of contributors to the Report:

• • Claire McCarthy, General Secretary of the Co-operative Party
• • Marc Stears, Chief Executive of the New Economics Foundation
• • Ruth Yeoman, Centre for Mutual and Employee-owned Business, Kellogg College, University of Oxford
• • Tom Watson MP, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
• • Mathew Lawrence, Research Fellow, Institute of Public Policy Research
• • Reema Patel and Tony Greenham, RSA (Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and)
• • Jennifer Tankard, Chief Executive, Responsible Finance
• • Baroness Dianne Hayter, Shadow Minister for Exiting the EU
• • James Scott, Policy Officer, the Co-operative Party
• • Richard Murphy, Professor of Practice in International Political Economy, City, University of London
• • Cliff Mills, Anthony Collins Solicitors
• • Richard Pennycook, Chief Executive, The Co-operative Group
• • Ed Mayo, Secretary General, Co-operatives UK